Keith Pompey

Inquirer Staff Writer

Of course they would, especially if the right deal comes down the pike. And the Sixers will continue to engage in the trade talks that all teams engage in as this time of the year as the trade deadline approaches (Feb. 21, 3 P.M.).

The Sixers, however, might not do anything at the deadline – in fact, I don’t think they will - and this includes dealing Turner. I don’t know how many times people need to hear this, but here it comes again: The Sixers want to see what this team looks like when Andrew Bynum is on the floor.

That time is coming shortly, I’m assured, most likely very soon after this weekend’s All-Star Game and almost certainly this month.

Having exercised the team option on Turner last summer (for $6.2 million next season), the Sixers are likely to stick with Turner, who is just getting his first opportunity to be a regular starter, right into the offseason. At that point they will be looking at the same situation they faced with Jrue Holiday, whom they extended for four years for more than $44 million.

So many said that the Sixers were making a mistake extending Holiday, who later this week will be packing his bags for the first of what will probably be many All-Star appearances. How stupid would the Sixers look right now had they headed the region’s Holiday and allowed him to be an unrestricted free agent this summer?

I’m not saying the same is true with Turner. However, he may fit in perfectly alongside Bynum. They’d rather evaluate Turner for the remainder of the season and be sure of what they have. If they don’t extend him this summer – and his play will determine this - the worst thing that happens is he and the Sixers go their separate ways next summer and they get his cap space.